WEDDINGS
“Lover’s don’t finally meet somewhere. They are in each other all along”. — Rumi
The desire to find love and share our lives with another human being runs deep in the human spirit. The decision to join lives with the one that we found and who has found us, is monumental and sets the course of our lives. Congratulations on finding your special someone! There is no greater gift.
Please fill out the form below to inquire about availability.
Jeddah Vailakis, a NYC & Hudson Valley Wedding Officiant has been recognized as top 5% of Best of Weddings by NY Brides. She has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings and has performed wedding ceremonies in some of the most beautiful landmark venues in NY: Studio 450, The Plaza, The Carlyle, Gramercy Park Hotel, The Bowery Hotel, The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, Angel Orensanz Center, Palm House at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Cafe St. Bart’s (at St. Bartholomew’s Church), The Metropolitan Building, Mandarin Oriental (Columbus Circle), The Pierre, Cipriani Wall St., The Four Seasons, Park Avenue, The Green Building, The Wythe Hotel, The Metropolitan Club, Wave Hill, NY Botanical Gardens, Wainright House, etc.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Whether you are planning a 20 person intimate wedding or a 300 person elaborate wedding, I will help guide you through the beautiful journey leading up to your wedding day. The ceremony will reflect the tone and words that are meaningful to you in a moment that brings everyone together in celebration of your love.
THE PROCESS
We meet in person and get to know one another. I go through in fine detail how we get from welcoming the guests to the pronouncement and kiss.
You share with me your love story as well as your hopes and fears of the big day. We discuss it all until you feel a sense of ease that in fact you will feel grounded on your wedding day.
We then get to work, or rather you get to work filling out a questionnaire, going through reading material, perhaps writing your own vows and then we will have a planning session to pull it all together. The process is engaging and fun and will help you focus on what is truly important.
Let’s get started!
BABY BLESSINGS / WELCOMINGS
How wonderful to welcome your child into the world and have the blessing of your community! For those parents who do not feel connected to the traditional baptisms and christening ceremonies, Baby Welcomings and blessing ceremonies are a wonderful alternative. For interfaith families, or those seeking a secular welcoming celebration, together we will create a unique service that reflects your values and spiritual views.
Perhaps the most sacred passage of all is the birth of a child.
The purity, innocence, joy, and limitless potential that each newborn represents is a reminder of all that we are at our core. The choice to ritualize your child’s life into this world and welcome its being, in the presence of community, sets in motion the wheels of acceptance, belonging, and embracement which the newborn receives on a soul level. A highly personalized ceremony, I will work closely with you so that the ceremony reflects your values, hopes and wishes for your newborn.
SPIRITUAL COUNSELING
“Let your soul lead the way.” Give yourself the gift of pause and reflection amidst the demands of everyday life. Together we will discover what is there and what is calling you.
FUNERALS / MEMORIALS
“It is said that when someone dies, God sends down two angels. One to carry the soul up to heaven, the other to remain with the mourners.”
A loved one passing is one of the most painful and difficult times that we can encounter. My role is to give space to your grieving process and other difficult emotions that may arise, and to deliver a funeral/memorial service that honors the life and relationships of your loved one.